Judiciary of Bangladesh


The Judiciary of Bangladesh or Judicial system of Bangladesh is based on the Constitution, along with laws enacted by the legislature and judicial precedents established by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, which is the highest court in the country. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court has been described in Article 94 of the Constitution of Bangladesh. It consists of two divisions, namely the High Court Division and the Appellate Division. These two divisions of the Supreme Court have separate jurisdictions.
According to a report, the Bangladeshi judiciary faces a severe shortage of judges. As of July 2017, 1,268 judges deal with over 2.7 million cases in lower courts, 86 High Court Division judges deal with 431,000 cases and 6 Appellate Division judges deal with 13,000 cases.

Supreme Court

Chief Justice

The Chief Justice of Bangladesh is the highest-ranking judge of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the head of the country's judiciary, overseeing both the Supreme Court and all subordinate courts. The chief justice is appointed by the President of Bangladesh. The Chief Justice sits in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court with other judges to hear and decide cases, presides over meetings of the full Supreme Court to transact business relating to administration of the court, and supervises the discipline of the judges and magistrates of the subordinate courts.

Appellate Division

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has two divisions: the Appellate Division and the High Court Division. The Appellate Division hears both civil and criminal appeals from the High Court Division. The Appellate Division may also decide a point of law reserved for its decision by the High Court Division, as well as any point of law of public interest arising in the course of an appeal from a subordinate court to the High Court Division, which has been reserved by the High Court Division for the decision of the Appellate Division.

High Court Division

Article 101 of the Constitution provides that the High Court Division shall have such original, appellate and other jurisdictions, powers and functions as are or may be conferred on it by the Constitution or any other law.

District Courts

Civil Courts

Under section 3 of the Civil Courts Act, 1887, five civil courts exist in the following hierarchy:
  • District Judge Court
  • Additional District Judge Court
  • Joint District Judge Court
  • Senior Assistant Judge Court
  • Assistant Judge Court

Criminal Courts

According to section 6 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, there are two types of criminal courts: the Court of Sessions and the Court of Magistrates.

Sessions Courts

  • Sessions Judge Court
  • Additional Sessions Judge Court
  • Joint Sessions Judge Court

Magistrate Courts

City Criminal Courts

The Code of Criminal Procedure provides for the establishment of separate metropolitan courts in metropolitan areas. As of 2024, the only cities in Bangladesh that have metropolitan courts are Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barisal, Rangpur and Gazipur.
Metropolitan courts generally deal with criminal offenses committed within metropolitan areas. Currently, metropolitan sessions courts and metropolitan magistrate courts are in operation Metropolitan cities. These courts do not have jurisdiction over civil matters.

Metropolitan Sessions Courts

Metropolitan Magistrates Courts

Specialized Courts and Tribunals

Alongside the regular courts, several special courts and tribunals function under various statutory laws to adjudicate specific types of disputes or offenses.
  • Constitutional Court
  • * None
  • Administrative Court
  • * Administrative Tribunals
  • Finance Court
  • * Money Loan Courts
  • * Insolvency Courts
  • * Income Tax Appellate Tribunals
  • * Special Tribunal for Share Market Scam
  • Labour Court
  • * Labour Courts
  • * Labour Appellate Tribunal
  • Court of Justice
  • * International Crimes Tribunal
  • Social Court
  • * Speedy Trial Tribunal
  • * Cyber Tribunal

Bangladesh Judicial Service Association

Bangladesh Judicial Service Association is a professional association of judges and magistrates of Bangladesh. The Association headquarters is located at Dhanmondi, Dhaka.
Md. Helal Chowdhury, the District and Sessions Judge Dhaka, is the current President and Bikash Kumar Saha, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, is the Secretary-General of the Association.